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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


y     €^.. 


iP- 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  .Vicroreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
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copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
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L'Institut  a  microfilma  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ete  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-^tre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu^s  ci-dessous. 


D 

D 


Coloui-ed  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagees 


D 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicul^e 


D 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurees  et/ou  pelliculees 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


0 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  fcned/ 
Pages  ddcolorees,  tachetdes  ou  piquees 


□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


0    Pages  detached/ 
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HShowthrough/ 
Transparence 


□    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
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D 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relii  avac  d'autres  documents 


D 


Includes  supcjiementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


D 


n 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marre  interieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  f'om  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
(ors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  filmdes. 


D 

D 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc..  ont  6t^  film^es  A  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplementaires; 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu^  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


SOX 


J 

/ 

1 — ['■"  1  - 

_ 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


tails 

du 
adifier 

une 
Tiage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Harriet  Irving  Library 
University  of  New  Brunswick 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exempiaire  filmA  fut  reproduit  grflce  it  la 
g6n6ro^lit6  de: 

Harriet  Irving  Library 
University  of  New  Brunswick 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  E'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim6e  sont  film6s  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ♦►  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  y  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
lllustrent  la  mdthode. 


rrata 
:o 


pelure. 
T  a 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

J&<    ■< 


- 


.A,.-  i 


I'V 


IIF 


AWFUL  SHIPWR 


AN  AFFECTING  NARRATIVE 

OF  THE 

UJVPARALiliELiED  SUFFERIXGTS 

OF  THE 


Tw; 


Crew  of  the  ship  Francis  Spaight,  which  foundered 
on  her  passage  from  St.  John's,  N.  B.  to  Lim- 
erick, in  November  last.     The  survivors, 
after  remaining  on  board  the  wreck 
19  days,  during  which  they  were 
driven  to  the  most  ar'^i'l  ex- 
tremities, were  re- 
lieved by  the 

Brig  Angeronia,  Capt.  Gillard,  on  her  passagb 
FROM  Newfoundland  to  Teignmouth. 


Communicated  for  the   Press,   by  John  Palmer, 
one  of  the  survivors. 


BOSTON: 
Published  by  G-.  C.  Perry. 

1837. 


^V 


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I 


,„__._.., 

lW-               .  ,*^^!fflfi 

•'^.■ 

iilf- 

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-  It 

•-^ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of 
the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


5 '0.45 


.4 


t 


;. 


PALMER'S  NARRATIVE. 


.^ 


# 


It  is  alwayis  at  the  extreme  hazard  of  their  lives, 
that  navigatois,  as  well  as  others,  adventure  upon 
the   boisterous  ocean  ;  and  the  past  year  (1836,) 
will  be  long  remembered  as  a  remarkable  one,  for 
the  many  melancholy  shipwrecks  and  fatal  disas-_ 
ters  at  sea,  that  have  attended  it — yet,  seldom  is  it] 
that  it  falls  to  our  lot  to  record  an  instance  attend- ^ 
ed  with  so  great  a  portion  of  human  misery,  as  the 
one  narrated  in  the  succeeding  pages — the  melan- 
choly narrative  cannot  fail  of  exciting  the  sympathy 
of  those  who  can  feelfor  suffering  humanity,  wher- 
ever it  may  be  read,  and  wherever  the  fate  of  the 
unfortunate  sufferers  may  be  disclosed  to  the  heart 
and  eye  of  sensibility. 

The  narrator,  John  Palmer,  who  was  a  hand  on 
board,  (and  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  the  mel- 
ancholy particulars,)  is  a  young  man  of  unquestion- 
able veracity,  of  respectable  parentage,  and  of 
more  than  an  ordinary  education  ;  and  who,  it  ap- 
pears by  his  own  confession,  entered  by  a  fictitious 
name,  and  without  the  knowledge  of  his  friends, 
on  board  the  British  ship  Francis  Spaight,  at  St. 
Johns,  N.  B.,  bound  from  thence  to  Limerick ;  and 
which  he  was  induced  to  do  for  no  other  reason  (it 
being  his  first  voyage,)  than  to  gratify  a  strong  pro- 
pensity to  "  see  the  world,"  and  which,  he  observes, 
he  saw  no  great  cause  to  regret  until  the  3d  day  of 
the  month  proceeding  that  on  which  he  entered, 
"  when  (to  use  his  own  words,)  it  was  our  misfor- 
tune to  experience  a  gale,  which  for  severity,  (in 


6  palmer's  narrative. 

the  opinion  of  the  oldest  sailors  on  board,)  was  sel- 
dom surpassed,  if  ever  equalled  ;  and  during  which, 
while  lying  to  under  a  close  reefed  mizzen  topsail, 
the  ship  capsized,  when  three  of  her  crew  found  a 
watery  grave  !     Orders   were  immediately  there- 
upon given  by  the  officers  to  the  survivors,  to  do 
all  in  their  power  for  the  preservation  of  the  ship, 
as  well  as  their  lives,  and  who,  after  much  hard  la- 
bor, succeeded  in  cutting  away  her  masts,  when 
she  righted  ;  but,  to  the  inexpressible  surprise  and 
horror  of  all  on  board,  it  was  discovered  that  not  a 
particle  of  either  water  or  provisions  could  be  ob- 
tained to  sustain  the  lives  of  those  who  had  not 
shared  the  fate  of  their  unfortunate  companions  ! 
but  this  (as  it  afterwards  proved)  was  only  the  be- 
ginning of  our  calamities.     As  there  was  nothing 
now  that  presented  to  our  view  but  the  horrible 
prospects  of  starving,  without  any  appearance  of 
relief,  we  were  reduced  to  the  most  deplorable 
state  imaginable !  peculiarly  so  as  regarded  my- 
self, who  had  ever  been  a  stranger  to  hardship, 
much  less  to  hunger  and  want. 

The  wind  continued  to  blow  with  unabated  fury 
the  two  succeeding  days  and  nights,  and  it  was 
only  by  lashing  ourselves  to  the  wreck,  that  we 
were  prevented  from  being  washed  overboard  by 
the  tremendous  sea  occasioned  thereby ;  and  when 
partially  relieved  in  this  respect,  our  minds  were 
agitated  by  the  dreadful  apprehensions  that  we  had 
only  escaped  from  a  watery  grave  to  experience 
tortures  still  more  to  be  dreaded !  Five  days  were 
passed  in  this  state  of  painful  anxiety,  when  our 
sufferings,  produced  by  craving  hunger  and  burn- 
ing thirst,  were  too  great  to  be  longer  endured  ; 

and  to  alleviate  which,  we  were  finally  driven  to 
the  dreadful  alternative  of  casting  lots,  thereby  to 
determine  who  of  our  number  should  be  put  to 
death,  that  his  body  might  serve  as  sustenance  for 
the  remainder  '—the  lot  fell  on  the  youngest  on 
board,   a  poor  friendless   youth,   who  had  been 


I 

1 


**> 


^ 


1 


iit\ 


^- 


palmer's  narrative.  7 

apprenticed  to  the  Captain,  and  who  by  the  great 
hardships  that  he  had  endured,  as  well  as  long  fast- 
ing, was  reduced  almost  to  a  skeleton.  Wheth- 
er there  was  a  previous  understanding  among 
some  of  the  ship's  crew,  that  he  should  be  the  one 
selected  as  a  victim,  without  allowing  him  an  equal 
chance  with  the  others  for  his  life,  is  well  known 
to  Him,  from  whom  no  human  act  can  be  conceal- 
ed ;  but,  whether  such  was  the  fact  or  not,  such 
was  the  distracted  state  of  my  feelings  at  that  mo- 
ment, that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  determine — 
it  is  enough  for  me  to  remember,  nay,  at  the  pre- 
sent moment,  my  blood  chills  at  the  bare  recollec- 
tion of  the  heart-rending  scene  that  ensued,  when 
the  fate  of  this  poor  unfortunate  lad  was  made 
known  to  him !  he  first  burst  into  tears,  and  en- 
treated that  his  life  might  be  spared  for  a  few  days, 
which  not  being  allowed  him,  he  reduced  the  time 
to  a  single  day  ;  and  when  he  found  that  there  was 
even  an  objection  to  this,  he  became  frantic,  de- 
claring it  his  determination  to  defend  himself  to 
the  last,  although  he  retained  hardly  sufficient 
strength  to  support  himself  erect ;  but,  being  in 
this  respect  but  little  inferior  to  that  of  his  other 
shipmates,  although  attacked  by  three  or  four  of 
the  most  able-bodied,  he  succeeded,  with  his  jack- 
knife,  in  keeping  them  off  for  some  minutes,  when 
nature  becoming  exhausted,  he  foil  prostrate  on 
the  deck,  and  in  which  condition  he  was  instantly 
despatched,  and  his  limbs  detached  from  his  ema- 
ciated body,  and  distributed  among  his  still  more 
wretched  shipmates  !  Frequently  had  I  heard  and 
read  that  famine  had  led  men  to  the  commission 
of  such  horrible  excesses,  that  insensible  on  such 
occasions  to  the  appeals  of  nature  and  reason,  they 
assumed  the  character  of  beasts  of  prey,  and  deaf 
to  every  representation,  coolly  meditated  the  death 
of  a  fellow-creature  !  but,  foreign  was  it  from  my 
mind,  that  I  should  myself  be  brouglit  not  only  to 
be  an  eye  witness  to  a  scene  like  this,  but  to  be- 


i 


8 


palmer's  narrative. 


come,  in  reality,  one  of  its  melancholy  subjects  ! 

Two  days  had,  however,  elapsed  after  the  tragical 
death  of  the  unfortunate  youth,  before  I  could  be 
brought  to  follow  the  awful  example  of  my  starving 
companions  !  To  what  woful  extremities  can  poor 
human  nature  be  driven  by  extreme  hunger  !  sure- 
ly, none  can  be  truly  sensible  of  it,  except  those 
who  have  experienced  it.  It  is  not  necessary  for 
me  to  add,  that  to  this  state,  I  (who  had  been  used 
to  luxurious  living,  and  who  had  unnecessarily  left 
a  home  affording  "  enough  and  to  spare,")  was 
brought ! 

However  loathsome  this  food  may  be  viewed  by 
my  readers,  (some  of  whom  may  perhaps  think,  as 
I  once  thought,  that  even  a  lingering  death  by 
starvation,  would  be  preferable  to  that  of  attempt- 
ing to  appease  it  by  the  use  of  human  flesh,)  it  was 
found  insufficient  to  support  life  but  a  few  days, 
when  a  similar  plan  was  adopted  in  the  selection 
of  another  victim  !  and  in  a  few  days  after,  anoth- 
er !  The  first  of  the  two  appeared  perfectly  re- 
conciled to  his  fate,  and  requested  only  a  few  mo- 
ments to  prepare  himself  for  death,  which  he  em- 
ployed in  fervent  prayer  for  himself,  and  for  our 
speedy  deliverance,  and  then  delivered  up  his  life 
without  a  struggle  !  But,  the  piteous  moans  and 
lamentations  of  the  latter,  in  consequence  (as  he 
represented,)  of  leaving  behind  him  a  beloved  wife 
and  several  small  children,  dependant  on  him  for 
support,  were  truly  appalling,  and  could  not  have 
been  withstood  by  any  but  such  wretched  beings 
as  we  were,  whose  sufferings  and  privations  had 
driven  to  a  state  of  desperation  !  This  was,  in  re- 
ality, the  situation  of  some  of  the  unhappy  surviv- 
ors, who,  deprived  of  their  reason,  and  driven  to  a 
state  of  raving  madness,  had  their  strength  admit- 
ted of  it,  it  is  not  improbable  that  they  would,  like 
ravenous  beasts,  have  fallen  upon  and  destroyed 
one  another,  without  any  regard  to  the  plan  pur- 
sued in  the  selection  of  victims. 


PALMER  8  NARRATIVE. 


9 


-  ■ ' 


'     A  few  day  previous  to  that  on  which  wc  were  re- 
lieved, four  of  our  wretched  companions  expired, 
(by  the  names  of  O'Brien,  Gorham,  Beham,  and 
Burns,)  and  all,  apparently,  in  a  perfect  state  of  in- 
sensibility, as  regarded  their  real  situations.     It 
was  astonishing  to  witness  how  different  were  the 
effects  produced  by  their  sufferings.     The  ravings 
of  O'Brien  and  Beham,  in  their  last  moments,  were 
like  those  of  madmen,  and  whose  greatest  efforts 
(with  fists  clenched,  and  with  gnashing  teeth,)  ap- 
peared to  be  to  commit  violence  on  those'  of  their 
shipmates  by  whom  they  were  approached ;  and 
some  of  whom  would,  no  doubt,  have  received  seri- 
ous injury,  had  they  not  retained  sufficient  strength 
to  enable  them  to  creep  away  beyond  their  reach. 
Burns,  although  he  talked  incessantly  and  incohe- 
rently, manifested  a  more  harmless  disposition — 
at  one  moment  he  would  be  engaged  in  singing 
some  favorite  sea  song,  and  at  the  next,  would  ap- 
pear to  imagine  himself  the  commander  of  the 
wreck,  calling  on  his  shipmates  (by  wrong  names) 
to  attend  to  their  duty,  assuring  them  that  there 
was  every  prospect  of  a  short,  plensant,  and  pros- 
perous voyage  !  The  behaviour  of  Gorham  was  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  either  of  the  three  mentioned  ; 
at  intervals  he  appeared  more  rational,  and  not  in- 
sensible of  his  situation,  and  while  speaking  of  his 
unfortunate  family  as  bereaved  of  one  on  whom 
they  depended  for  support,  would  weep  like  a  child ; 
but  soon  would  appear  to  lose  himself,  and  call  on 
and  talk  to  his  children  as  rf  present,  calling  them 
by  name,  and  entreating  them  to  take  pity  on  and 
indulge  their  father  with  even  a  few  drops  of  wa- 
ter. 

As  regarded  myself,  although  in  body  exhibiting 
the  appearance  of  a  living  skeleton,  yet  I  bore  my 
sufferings  and  privations  with  a  great  degree  of  for- 
titude, until  three  days  previous  to  that  of  our  de- 
liverance, when  it  was  my  fate  (as  T  was  informed 
by  my  shipmates,)  to  become  delirous.  When  re- 
2 


10 


PALMER  3  NARRATirE. 


Stored  to  my  reason,  I  recollect  that  while  I  re- 
mained unconscious  of  my  situation,  all  appeared 
like  a  dream.  I  imagined  myself  at  home,  in  the 
presence  of  my  affectionate  parents,  brothers,  sis- 
ters, &C.,  but  confined  to  a  sick  bed,  a  prey  to  a 
burning  fever,  and  tormented  with  most  intolera- 
ble thirst.  I  plainly,  as  I  imagined,  recognized  my 
friends,  standing  by  my  bedside,  but  who  not  only 
appeared  to  disregard  my  entreaties  for  water,  but 
to  view  me  with  much  apparent  indifference  ;  and 
it  was,  when  endeavoring  by  gestures,  (as  I  either 
was,  or  imagined  myself  deprived  of  the  power  of 
speech,)  to  acquaint  them  of  the  true  state  of  my 
feelings  and  the  tortures  with  which  they  were  af- 
flicting me,  by  refusing  to  indulge  me  with  a  little 
water  with  which  to  cool  my  parched  throat,  that 
my  reason  returned,  and  I  became  more  sensible  of 
my  wretched  condition. 

By  the  return  of  my  reason  my  mind  was  once 
more  distracted  by  the  most  awful  forebodings ;  be- 
ing sensible  that  by  the  selecting  of  one  victim  af- 
ter another,. we  were  fast  reducing  our  number,  I 
could  not  but  expect  that  my  turn  would  by  and  by 
come ;  or,  what  was,  if  possible,  still  more  to  be 
dreaded,  that  it  might  hr  my  ^ot  to  survive  a!!  my 
wretched  coinpanions.  uu-  !m  .Jk  labi  to  perish  Oii 
th'"  -.Vioi-k,  nud  thfjrcbv  my  ;itl1'  icd  r-'r  nf-  pvo' 
leit  Hi  suspense  as  regarded  my  wretched  late  i — 
There  was  yet  another  circumstance  that  was  cal-* 
culated  to  increase,  rather  than  to  diminish  our 
misery — the  skeletons,  &c.  of  the  bodies  of  such 
of  our  unfortunate  companions,  as  had  been  doom- 
ed to  die  by  our  hands,  had  (after  having  been 
stripped  of  all  their  flesh,)  been  committed  to  the 
deep,  and  which  had,  no  doubt,  the  effect  to  attract 
numerous  sharks,  some  of  them  of  astonishing 
length,  which  in  calm  weather  were  always  to  be 
seen  swimming  around  the  wreck  ;  and  which  too 
plainly  told  us  what  our  fate  would  be,  if  through 


1 
t 
t 

^ 

d 

g 
g 
P 

Si 

o 

tl 

re 
in 


palmer's  narrative. 


11 


"   ,  -^ 


weakness,  any  of  our  number  should  be  so  unfor- 
tunate as  to  fall  overboard. 

Sixteen  dayji  had  now  elapsed  since   that  on 
which  our  unfortunate  ship  was  capsized  ;   during 
the  most  of  which  time  human  flesh  had  been  ou? 
only  food,  and  this  alone  would  have  been  found 
insufficient  to  have  preserved  our  lives  so  lonir,  had 
we  not  in  this  time  been  blessed  with  three  or  four 
showers,  supplying  us  with  a  moderate  quantity  of 
water,   and   w  Mch   we   caught  by  spreading  and 
wringing  our  clothes.     Loathsome  as  our  food  had 
been,  the  day  previous  to  that  on  which  we  were 
relieved,  we  had  partaken  of  the  last  of  it,  with  the 
exception  of  a  part  of  two  quarters  of  the  last  vic- 
tim, and  It  was  consequently  considered  necessary 
(while  our   strength  would  admit  of  it,)  to  select 
from  among  our  diminished  number,  another,  and 
the  fourth  victim  !     To  determine  whom  it  should 
which Vr'  ?.'"  °f  deciding  by  lot  was  adopted, 
which  fell  on  the  mate.     The  poor  fellow  appeared 
but  very  httle  affected  thereat,  having  been  fre- 
Sl  hn'tl '"  ^^.^^^^t^hat  so  great  were  his  suf- 
f!fi^  u    I    i'u  ^^""'f^  *^°««  of  his  shipmates  their 
tate,  who  had  been  doomed  in  this  manner  to  yield 

T    1  ?"*u  H^^ '  ^""^  '^^"^'^   ""t  but  hope  that  if  it 
ttr .      \Tu    "^9^«?ary  to   sacrifice   another, 
that  It  might  fall  to  his  lot,  as  he  had  neither  wife 
nor  children  to  eaye  behind.     His  only  desire  was 
that  he  might  die  by  strangulation,  the  deaths  of 
^e  others  having  been  caused  by  opening  a  vein, 
With  the  captain  the  fate  of  his  mate  had  quite  a 
trZ      '!f''^i  ^"!.  attachment  for  him  had  been 
great,  and  he  therefore  used  much  persuasive  ar- 
gument to  prevail  on  his  unfortunate  crew  to  post- 
pone  the  sacrifice  for  a  single   day.    He  had,  by 
soaking  in  salt  water,  preserved  the  liver  and  brains 
ot  the  unfortunate  youth,  (the  first  victim,)  and  was 
the  next  mormng  about  to  share  this,  with  the  re- 
maming  food,  among  his  companions,  when  to  the 
inexpressible  joy  of  all,  a  vessel  was  descried  bear- 


n 


w'-, 


PALMER  3  NARRATIVE. 


ing  down  for  the  wreck,  which  proved  to  be  the 
brig  Angeronia,  Captain  Gillard,  bound  from  New- 
foundland to  Teignmouth. 

When  the  Captain  and  crew  succeeded  in  reach-  «■ 
ing  our  ship's  deck,  and  beheld  the  awful  spectacle 
which  we  presented,  and  the  melancholy  remains 
of  the  last  victim  on  which  we   had  subsisted  for 
the  three  days  previous,  they  appeared  for  a  mo- 
ment as  if  doubting  the  reality  of  what  they  saw ; 
but  convinced,  they  united  in  one  general  exclama- 
tion of  horror  and  surprize  !     Our  appearance  at 
that  moment,  must  indeed  have  been  shocking  in 
the  extreme  ;  but  two  of  our  number  possessing 
sufficient  strength  to  stand  erect,   the  remainder 
were  only  able  to  creep  about  upon  their  hands  and 
knees — our  faces,  arms,  hands,  and  other  parts  of 
our  bodies,  that  had  been  exposed  to  the  powerful 
rays  of  the  sun,  burnt  nearly  black  ;  and  our  clothes 
having  been  continually  wet,  our  emaciated  bodies 
were  chafed  and  nearly  covered  with  painful  soars. 
We  were  by  our  kind  deliverers  conveyed  on 
board  the  brig,  where  every  thing  was  done  that 
could  be  done  to  alleviate  our  miseries.     Broths 
were  made  for  us,  but  of  which,  as  of  water,  we 
v/ere  permitted  only  to  partake  sparingly,  and  to 
which  we  may  imp'-u.   the  snlv/itiua  of  our  liu;    : 
fur  had  we  been  p^rmiticd  tj  eat  ufj  itiucl-   a-'  on- 
appetites  craved,  it  must  have  proved  fatal  to  us. 
By  the  kind  assistance  of  my  benefactors  (for  which 
may  Heaven  reward  them,)  by  the  time  the  brig 
reached  her  destined  port,  I  had,  by  kind  treat- 
ment, gained  sufficient  strength  to  enable  me,  like 
another  prodigal  son,  to  reach  that  long  wished  for 
home,  which  had  been  the  scene  of  many  happy 
momenta,  but  of  which  I  had  been  unconscious,  un- 
til I  had  unwisely  deserted  it,  to  experience  trials 
and  hardships  of  which  none  but  those  who  have 
experienced  similar,  can  have  a  true  conception. — 
By  my  great  sufferings,  my  health  still  remains 
impaired,and  my  constitution  (which  was  previous- 


^  '.'^SW^" 


-t 


palmer's  narrative. 


13 


'>» 


i 


\y  good,)  so  much  broken,  as  to  render  it  very  pro- 
bable, that  until  the  day  of  my  death  I  shall  remain 
a  living  monument  of  my  past  folly. 

True  it  is,  as  I  have  frequently  heard  it  remark- 
ed, that  dear-bought  experience  often  proves  a  most 
valuable  instructor,  and  that  we  are  sometimes  in- 
debted to  adversity  for  our  wisdom.  I  had  heard 
much  of  foreign  countries  and  had  long  felt  a  strong 
inclination  to  visit  them  ;  and  although  I  had  not 
unfrequently  read  of,  and  listened  with  no  incon- 
siderable interest,  to  the  narratives  of  the  surpris- 
ing adventures  of  sailors,  as  they  recounted  their 
many  hair  breadth  escapes,  and  the  great  perils 
and  privations  to  which  they  were  daily  exposed 
while  navigating  the  deep ;  yet  it  had  but  little  ef- 
fect to  deter  me  from  an  attempt  to  accomplish  my 
views — to  gratify  a  too  common  propensity  to  ad- 
venture abroad,  even  at  the  risk  of  my  life,  "to  see 
the  world !"— others,  I  argued,  had  been  and  re- 
turned in  safety,  and  why  not  I  ?  With  this  en- 
couragement alone,  I  adventured — but,  alas,  too 
soon  did  I  experience  the  difference  between  that 
peaceful  and  comfortable  home,  the  habitation  of 
endeared  friends,  the  scene  of  every  enjoyment  that 

T        ,  1 lif^bly  dpsire.  to  that  of  beins"  tossed 

to  uiut  u>  upon  a  I.   i       '    u.?  ocean,  and  occa^^ioii- 


n 


\\\   iusu\\r,cc] 


(lam- 


dreary  forecastle. 


MIU- 


sisting  on  the  coarsest  luud,  and  with  none  bat  per- 
fect strangers,  of  almost  every  country,  for  my 
companions.  But,  what  was  all  this  to  what  I  was 
afterwards  doomed  to  suffer  ?  The  sad  tale  has 
been  told — the  melancholy  particulars  have  been 
truly  and  faithfully  recorded  in  the  preceding 
pages. 

Although  while  I  remained  on  the  wreck,  my  suf- 
ferings were  so  great  as  in  one  instance  to  deprive 
me  of  reason,  yet,  in  my  most  rational  moments,  I 
could  but  contrast  my  own  miserable  situation  with 
that  of  someof  my  young  acquaintance  on  shore-- 
that  while  they  were,  in  all  probability,  reposing  in 


14 


palmer's  narrative. 


security  by  the  firesides  of  their  friends,  and  bleat 
with  and  enjoying  every  necessary  of  life  that  their 
hearts  could  wish,  I  was  enduring  all  the  tortures 
which  extreme  hunger  and  parching  thirst  could 
be  productive  of;  and  to  relieve  which,  was  finally 
driven  to  the  awful   extremity  of  eating  the  flesh 
and  drmking  the  blood  of  those  who  had  been  my 
ship  companions !   My  dear  young  friends,  it  is  my 
sincere  prayer  that  you  may  not  follow  my  exam- 
ples, and  unwisely  attempt  to  gratify  a  similar  pro- 
pensity "  to  see  the  world,"  but  rather  learn  wis- 
dom by   my   folly ;  take   the  advice  of  one  who 
knows--who  by  his  imprudence  and  too  hasty  con- 
clusions, has  been  doomed  to  drink  deep,  very  deeo 
of  the  cup  of  adversity !    Never  be  so  unwise  as  £ 
exchange  a  certainty  for  an  uncertainty  ;  if  you  have 
conifortable  homes,  and  possess  the  means  of  pro- 
curing even  a  humble  living,  be  satisfied  therewith, 
tor  should  you  be  otherwise  inclined,  you  may  have 
cause  ever  after.to  regret  it.     As  regards  myself  I 
can  truly  say  with  the  poet,  that  ' 

"  'Mid  pleasures  and  palaces,  though  we  may  roam 
Be  It  ever  so  humble,  there  's  no  place  like  home  :  ' 
A  charm  from  the  skies,  seems  to  hallow  us  there 
VYhich  seek  through  the  world,  is  ne'er  met  with  elsewhere. 
Home,  home,  swoct,  aweet  home 
There  's  no  place  like  home.       ' 

An  exile  from  hdme,  splendor  dazzles  in  vain 
Oh  !  give  me  my  lonely  thatched  cottage  again  : 
Ihe  birds  smgmg  gaily,  that  come  at  my  call. 
<jrive  me  them  with  peace  of  mind,  dearer  thaA  all. 
Home,  sweet  home,  &c. 

If  I  return  homp  overburdened  with  care 
The  heart's  dearest  solace  I  'm  sure  to  meet  there  • 
1  he  bJiss  I  experience  whenever  I  come 
Makes  no  other  place  seem  like  that  of  sweet  home. 
Home,  sweet  home,"  &.c, 

hvl^'^^  T'^  ^^^"  ^"^^  ^^^'^  '^  remarked,  and 
by  those  who  were  probably  more  wise  than  my- 
self, that  "  he  who  would  know  how  to  prize  heaUh 


i 


•n 


-r  » 


i 


TS 


palmer's  narrative. 


15 


•»      • 


should  for  a  period  be  deprived  of  it."  A  very  cor- 
rect remark,  in  my  estimation,  and  one  that  will  with 
equal  propriety  apply  to  some  few  in  the  humbler 
walks  of  life,  who,  although  blessed  with  health, 
and  with  the  means  of  earning  by  their  daily  avo- 
cations a  comfortable  subsistence,  yet  manifest 
much  uneasiness  and  discontent,  because  there  are 
others  who  appear  to  have  been  the  greater  favor- 
ites of  kind  fortune,  and  to  enjoy  more  profusely 
her  gifts—wrongfully  imagining  that  the  splendor 
of  wealth  QXid.  possession  of  riches,  are  alone  essen- 
tial to  their  happiness ;  but,  such  an  opinion  I  know 
by  sad  experience,  to  be  an  erroneous  one,  for  al- 
though it  has  been  with  me  from  early  age,  (as 
with  thousands,)  the  great  object  of  my  pursuit, 
yet  I  can  truly  say,  that  I  never  did  experience 
true  happiness  until  that  joyful  moment,  when,  af- 
ter having  been  driven  to  the  most  awful  extremi- 
ties by  hunger  and  thirst,  I  was  presented  by  my 
deliverers  with  a  cup  of  pure  water  and  a  howl  of 
broth ;  and  which  I  at  that  moment,  would  have 
been  found  unwilling  to  have  exchanged  for  all  the 
wealth  of  Peru.  And  such,  I  am  confident,  would 
be  the  conclusions  of  those,  who,  although  stran- 
gers to  rfial  want,  vet  too  frequently  murmur  ar 
gJ  idence,  for  d*it)arring  them  from  tiii  OR., 

joyment  of  the  luxuries  umJ  •supuifluitie.^  ^vhic  . 
has  piuced  within  the  rea*n  .  ■*  others,  woulu  Licy 
for  a  moment  condescend  to  look  down  upon  the 
thousands  who  are  so  far  more  miserable  than  them- 
selves, as  to  find  it  difficult  to  procure  from  day  to  • 
day,  food  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  na- 
ture, they  would  not,  while  enjoying  the  necessa- 
ries of  life,  conceive  themselves  so  extremely  un- 
happy, although  deprived  of  the  enjoyment  of  some 
of  its  luxuries.  But  such  is  the  aspiring  disposi- 
tion of  man,  generally  speaking,  and  such  his  nat- 
ural thirst  for  wealth,  that  he  is  seldom  found  will- 
ing to  look  down  and  to  contrast  his  situation  with 
those  who  move  in  the  lower  ranks  of  life,  (altho' 


16 


paImer's  narrative. 


it  is  iioi  improbable  that  some  were  born  to  great- 
er fortunes,)  but  is  continually  looking  up,  and  en- 
vying the  rich  for  their  great  wealth,  although  the 
possession  thereof,  it  is  possible,  would  render  him 
ten  times  more  unhappy  than  he  would  otherwise 
be.  Pity  it  is,  that  such  could  not  be  made  sensi- 
ble that  the  real  source  of  all  human  happiness  is 
not  riches,  but  contentment. 

It  is  a  lamentable  truth  that  a  thirst  for,  or  a 
pursuit  after  imaginary  happiness,  too  much  en- 
grosses the  attention  of  mankind  generally,  and 
too  much  do  they  expect  to  find  it  in  the  possession 
of  great  wealth.  This  is  a  great  mistake,  for  no 
one  can  be  pronounced  happy,  who  depends  upon 
fortune  for  his  happiness.  That  man  alone  is  most 
happy  who  is  contented  with  the  situation  in  which 
Providence  has  placed  him.  We  live  in  a  world 
naturally  subject  to  lamentable  events  ;  and  every 
day's  instruction  teems  with  lessons  teaching  us 
the  vicissitudes,  as  well  as  the  vanity  and  empti- 
ness of  all  transitory  things.  Although  we  may 
at  times  see  cause  to  rejoice,  yet  very  soon  we  may 
see  equal  cause  to  mourn,  by  being  unexpectedly 
>iumbled  by  adversity ;  and  as  these  are  vicissitudes 
to  which  the  wealth  and  honors  of  this  world  can 
form  no  barrier,  we  ousfht  not  to  indulge  ourselves 
in  repining,  in  uneasiness,  or  despondency,  be- 
cause we  do  not  possess  them  to  profusion. 

How  little  disposed  should  we  be  to  find  fault 
with  and  to  murmur  at  our  condition  in  life,  how- 
ever humble  it  might  be,  were  we  to  reflect  for  a 
moment  how  much  more  miserable  thej  might  be  ! 
I  have  seen  the  time  when  I  would  have  been  un- 
willing to  have  exchanged  conditions  with  any  one 
within  the  circle  of  my  acquaintance  ;  and  I  have 
seen  the  time,  and  that  very  recently,  when  I  would 
have  gladly  exchanged  conditions  with  the  poorest 
beggar  in  existence  ;  nay,  would  have  given  thou- 
sands, had  I  possessed  them,  for  the  privilege  of 
sharing  with  him  the  humble  fare  bestowed  on  him 


•V* 


1 1- 

1 


PALMER  S  NARRATIVE. 


17 


in  charity.  Mysterious,  indeed,  are  the  ways  of 
Providence  ;  the  same  wheel  which  raises  us  to- 
day, on  the  smooth,  unruffled  ocean  of  prosperity, 
may,  before  the  morrow,  roll  us  in  the  stormy  sea 
of  adversity.  The  scenes  of  life  are  continually 
shifting,  and  mankind  are  ever  subject  to  ills,  per- 
plexities, and  disappointments ;  and  we  are  too 
apt  to  find  fault,  and  conclude  that  we  are  possess- 
ed of  a  greater  share  of  worldly  afflictions  than  our 
fellow-men,  or  more  than  our  proportion  in  the 
scale  of  justice  ;  but  on  reflection,  I  am  persuaded 
mankind  are  not  so  unequally  provided  for  in  this 
world  as  many  imagine.  "  God  is  no  respecter  of 
persons,"  he  favors  one  man  no  more  than  another, 
and  his  blessings  are  equally  showered  upon  all  his 
offspring. 

In  all  the  changing  scenes  of  life,  we  behold 
man  ever  in  pursuit  of  happiness — it  is  his  aim  and 
object ;  nay,  the  very  desire  of  his  heart  to  be  hap- 
py ;  and  in  hopes  of  being  so,  ere  his  days,  even 
of  this  transitory  life  shall  end,  he  toils  and  labors 
with  an  unceasing  and  unwearied  hand — no  obsta- 
cles that  meet  him  in  his  path  are  too  great  to  be 
overcome ;  but,  alas !  before  it  is  attained,  how 
often  does  life  itself,  with  all  its  anxieties  and  cares, 
vanish  forever.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  account 
those  things  necessary  and  essential  to  our  happi- 
ness, that  are  superfluous.  Let  the  man  of  a  firm 
health  not  account  himself  happy  only  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  this  good,  but  may  the  thought  of  suffering 
nothing  among  so  many  calamitous  events  to  which 
he  is  subject,  make  him  yet  more  content — let  him 
enjoy  himself,  not  only  from  the  good  circum- 
stances that  are  his  lot,  but  from  the  evils  too, 
which  do  not  befall  him.  The  restlessnesb  and  in- 
quietude peculiar  to  a  great  portion  of  mankind, 
through  all  the  several  stages  of  their  existence 
are  the  sole  immolate  jf  time.  They  are  con- 
tinually looking  forward  lo  a  time,  when  they  gjjaji 
be  rich  in  the  possessions  of  the  world  ;  anj  even 
o 


palmer's  najrrative. 


'I 


■i 


m,  who  has  the  abundance  of  riches,  "  a  full 
et  and  full  store,"  the  same  anxieties,  the  samo 

easy  spirit  and  restless  mind,  embitter  the  sweetH 
of  his  life,  and  waste  his  time  and  years. 

Let  us  remember  that  we  are  but  sojourners  here 
on  earth — that  we  are  fast  hastening  to  our  long 
homes,  and  let  the  benign  anticipation  of  happiness 
hereafter,  make  us  triumph  over  adversity,  and  in- 
struct us  in  the  proper  improvement  of  affliction?), 
that  they  may  efficaciously  work  out  for  us  a  "  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory." — 
Thus  suitably  impressed  with  the  hopes  of  consum- 
mated happiness  and  fruition  in  the  realms  of  peace, 
and  with  minds  dilated  above  the  annoying  influ- 
ence of  worldly  troubles  and  adverse  events,  we 
can  tranquilly  withstand  all  the  buffetting  billows 
of  time,  and  welcome  the  auspicious  hour  which 
transports  us  from  these  tenements  of  clay,  to  an 
"  inheritance  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fad- 
eth  not  away." 

Success  and  disappointment,  mirth  and  despon- 
dency, alternately  accompany  us  through  the  jour- 
ney of  time.  One  day  we  set  forth  on  our  road 
with  vigor  and  animation,  favored  by  an  auspicious 
atmosphere  and  a  serene  sky,  full  of  anticipation 
and  elated  with  hope  ;  but  ere  night  arrives,  to  lay 
our  weary  limbs  to  rest,  some  incident  has  blasted 
all  our  expectations — the  morn  which  beamed  forth 
its  radiance  and  dispensed  to  us  pleasure,  is  sup- 
planted by  a  sable  night,  which  brings  to  us  a  sad 
reverse,  of  many  pains,  anxieties  and  sorrows. — 
Hence,  it  is  not  an  abundance  of  riches  that  can 
secure  to  us  that  degree  of  happiness  and  tranquil- 
Uty  of  mind  that  all  are  anxious  to  experience — a 
good  share  of  prudence  is  far  more  preferable  ;  as 
for  the  want  of  it,  the  young  and  inexperienced 
frequently  and  rashly  launch  their  frail  barks  be- 
fore they  are  able  to  stem  the  adverse  current  of 
life,  and  are  wrecked  among  the  shoals  and  quick- 
sands of  adversity. 


N 


hVl. 


palmer's  narrative. 


19 


CLOSING  REMARKS. 


> 


*r 


The  foregoing  concludess  the  interesting  Narra- 
tive and  Address  of  Palmeh,  to  which  a  friend  begs 
liberty  to  subjoin  some  few  remarks.  As  has  been 
remarked  at  the  commencement  of  the  Narrative, 
the  year  1836  will  be  long  remembered  as  a  pecul- 
iar one  for  the  many  unfortunate  occurrences  at 
sea  that  have  attended  it.  Scarcely  a  week  has 
passed,  that  some  awful  shipwreck,  great  loss  of 
lives  in  consequence  of  vessels  taking  fire,  &c.  has 
not  been  announced  to  us.  Since  the  commence- 
ment of  the  year,  it  is  probable  that  not  a  less  num- 
ber than  one  thousand  persons,  (men,  women  and 
children,)  have  become  the  victims  of  one  or  the 
other  of  these  devouring  elements,  on,  or  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  the  American  coast,  attended  with  all  the 
horrors,  and  in  some  instances,  by  the  most  aggra- 
vating circumstances  that  the  human  mind  can  con- 
ceive of. 

To  maintain  a  commercial  intercourse  with  for- 
eign nations,  it  is  necessary,  notwithstanding  the 
perils  to  which  they  subject  themselves,  that  there 
should  be  found  some  willing  to  adventure  their 
lives  ;  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  there  should  be 
many  of  that  useful  class,  who,  accustomed  from 
their  youth  to  a  seafaring  life,  are  found  willing  to 
brave  all  dangers,  and  to  subject  themselves  to  al- 
most incredible  hardships,  for  that  support  which 
they  would  find  it  diflicult  to  obtain  for  themselves 
and  families  on  shore — but,  that  there  should  be 
so  many  of  quite  a  different  class,  a  class  compos- 


20 


palmer's  narrative. 


ed  of  some  of  our  most  active  and  promising  young 
men,  of  educations  that  Would  fit  them  ibr  the  most 
respectable  stations,  and  produce  them  ample  sup- 
port, found  willing,  merely  to  gratify  a  silly  pro- 
pensity to  see  the  world,  to  subject  themselves  to 
the  dangers  and  perils  of  the  sea,  is  indeed,  aston- 
ishing. The  fate  of  the  unfortunate  Palmer  should 
afford  such  a  lesson,  which  ought  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. He  (Palmer)  was,  it  appears,  of  respect- 
able parentage,  a  stranger  to  hardships,  blessed 
with  a  competency,  and  with  an  education  sufficient 
to  qualify  him  for  the  performance  of  the  duties  of 
the  profession  in  which  he  was  about  to  engage ; 
but,  alas,  what  a  reverse  of  fortune  was  produced 
by  a  single  act  of  imprudence.  He  has,  indeed, 
painted  his  deplorable  situation,  while  confined  to 
the  wreck,  in  deep  colors,  but  we  do  not  believe 
the  picture  too  highly  colored  ;  for  what  situation 
on  earth  is  there  in  which  man  can  be  placed,  so 
awful  as  that  of  being  driven  by  hunger  and  thirst 
to  drink  the  blood  and  eat  the  dead  body  of  a  fel- 
low being  !  Such  appears  to  have  been  the  fate  of 
this  unfortunate  young  man — and  which,  we  would 
again  say,  should  serve  as  a  beacon  to  deter  others 
from  an  attempt  to  gratify  similar  propensities, 
which  may,  for  aught  they  know,  prove  equally  fa- 
tal. 

Whoever  has  perused  the  melancholy  account  of 
the  late  awful  conflagration  which  occurred  on 
board  the  steamboat  Royal  Tar,  when  forty-nine 
of  her  unfortunate  passengers  perished  ;  and  the 
still  more  recent  account  of  the  loss  of  the  ship 
Bristol,  bound  from  Liverpool  to  New-York,  (when 
no  less  number  than  sixty-seven  of  her  crew  and 
passengers  found  a  watery  grave,)  must  be  satisfied 
of  the  imminent  danger  to  which  mariners,  and  oth- 
ers who  adventure  upon  the  deep  waters,  are  ex- 
posed. "  Shipwreck  (as  a  late  writer  observes,)  is 
always,  even  in  its  mildest  form,  a  calamity  which 
fills  the  mind  with  horror.     But   what  is  instant 


r-  "i 


PALMER*9  NARRATIVE. 


01 

0t0  a 


A#- 


f  "i 


death,  compared  to  the  situation  of  those  wha  are 
doomed  to  contend  with  hunger  and  thirst  ?     Be- 
hold the  ship  safely  gliding  along  upon  the  smooth 
sea,  every  heart  bounding  with  joy,  at  the  prospect 
of  their  soon  reaching  the  destined  port,  and  once 
more  embracing  those  friends  from  whom  they  have 
long  been  separated,  when,  all  at  once,  a  cloud 
arises — the  sun  withdraws  its  light — the  tempest 
rolls  on,  accompanied  with  all  the  horrors  of  mid- 
night  darkness — she   drives  headlong    upon   the 
rocks.    Ah  !  fatal  moment.    Where  now  shall  they 
seek  for  refuge  ?  No  kind  friend  is  present  to  lend 
the  aid  sufficient  to  protect  these  unhappy  suffer- 
ers ;  but  a  small  solitary  boat,  or  fragment  of  the 
wreck,  must  float  them,  they  know  not  where  ;  des- 
tined often,  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hunger  and 
to  prolong  a  lingering  life,  by  casting  lots  for  a  vic- 
tim to  be  sacrificed  to  serve  for  food  for  the  rest." 
That  the  picture  of  horror  and  despair  here  pre- 
sented to  view,  is  not  one  of  the  imagination  alone, 
the  affecting  narrative  of  the  unfortunate  Palmer 
affords  a  melancholy  proof.     Similar  instances  too 
frequently  occur ;  nor  does  the  two,  of  which  we 
have  made  mention,  and  of  very  recent  occurrence, 
in  some  respects,  fall  but  little  short  of  it.     The 
awful  scene  of  distress  that  attended  the  loss  of 
the  steamboat  Royal  Tar,   as  related  by  the  few 
who  were  miraculously  preserved  from  the  dread- 
ful conflagration,  must  still  be  fresh  in  the  minds 
of  my  readers — the  unfortunate  passengers,  com- 
prising men,  women,  and  children,  to  escape  from 
the  devouring  element,  hanging  to  ropes  and  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  burning  vessel,  until  compelled  by 
the  approaching  flames  to  loose  their  holds  and  to 
drop  into  the  ocean,  to  rise  no  more  ;  and  to  en- 
hance still  more  the  scene  of  horror,  several  unfor- 
tunate mothers,  to  put  an  immediate  period  to  the 
sufferings  of  their  tender  infants,  threw  them  over- 
board, and  leaped  after  them  to  perish  with  them ! 
Nor  were  the  scenes  which  attended  the  more  re- 


i 


22 


palmer's  narrative. 


cent  loss  of  the  ship  Bristol,  (almost  within  view  of 
the  harbor  of  New- York,)  less  distressing.  The 
description  given  of  the  lamentable  catastrophe  by 
the  few  that  escaped  from  the  wreck,  were  in  terms 
almost  too  shocking  to  describe !  Mothers  callinff 
to  their  children,  and  husbands  for  their  wives,  and 
on  the  next  wave  they  were  buried  in  the  deep  !^ 
So  sudden  and  unexpected  was  the  disaster,  that 
several  of  the  passengers,  (principally  women  and 

berSs^"'ten 'A^'^T  '^^y  "°"'^  ^^^^«  their 
Jn«tin;i    ?h  liT^  '^^P'  °"  striking  the  shore, 
instantly  bilged,  filled,  and  all  below  were  drown- 
ed-not  a  groan  was  heard  to  denote  the  catastro- 
phe,  so  awfully  sudden  was  it.     The  ship,  in  a  few 
hours  went  to  pieces,  and  the  ensuing  morning 
presented  a  scene  truly  melancholy  to  behold-f 
sixty  of  the  lifeless  bodies  of  those  who  perished 
were  driven  on  shore.     Such  are  some  of  the  dan! 
gers  and  such  frequently  the  awful  consequences 
of  adventuring  upon  and  exposing  our  lives  to  the 
boisterous  ocean.     On  this  melancholy  subject,  we 
think  that  we  cannot  present  our  readers  with  any 
thing  more  appropriate  than  a  description  of  a 
wreck  at  sea.  by  an  eniinent  writer.     He  remarks  : 
We   one  day  descried  some  shapeless   object 
drifting  at  a  distance-it  proved  to  be  the  mast  of 
a  ship  that  must  have  been  completely  wrecked  • 
for  there  were  the  remains  of  handkerchiefs,  b^ 
which  some  of  the  crew  had  fastened  themselves 
to  this  spar  to  prevent  their  being  washed  off  by 
the  waves.     1  here  was  no  trace  by  which  the  name 
of  the  ship  could  be  ascertained.     The  wreck  had 

trfuflf'ffi^^''fT''y  "^«"th«'  ^'»«ters  of 
shell-fish  had  fastened  about  it,  and  long  sea-weeds 

flaunted  at  its  sides— but,  where,  thought  I,  is  the 

crew?  Their  struggle  has  long  been^ve^-they 

have  gone  down  amidst  the  roar  of  the  tempest- 

their  bones  he  whitening  in  the  caverns  of  the 

deep-silence  oblivion,  like  the  waves,  have  closed 

over  them,  and  no  one  can  tell  the  story  of  their 


I 

f 


"nr 


t 


PALMER  3  NARRATIVE. 


23 


'1 


* 


end  !  What  sighs  have  been  wafted  after  that  ship ! 
What  prayers  offered  up  at  the  deserted  fireside  of 
home !   How  often  has  the  beloved  wife  and  affec- 
tionate mother  pored  over  the  daily  news,  to  catch 
some  casual  intelligence  of  this  rover  of  the  deep ! 
How  has  expectation  darkened  into  anxiety— anx- 
iety into  dread— and  dread  into  despair !     Alas ! 
not  one  memento  shall  ever  return  for  love  to  cher- 
ish.    All  that  shall  ever  be  known,  is,  that  she  sail- 
ed from  her  port,  "  and  was  never  heard  of  more." 
"  The  sight  of  the  wreck  as  usual,  gave  rise  to 
many  dismal  anecdotes.     This  was  particularly  the 
case  in  the  evening,  when  the  weather,  which  had 
hitherto  been  fair,  began  to  look  wild  and  threat- 
ening, and  gave  indications  of  one  of  those  sudden 
storms  that  will  sometimes  break  in  upon  the  se- 
renity of  a  summer  voyage.     As  we  sat  around  the 
dull  light  of  a  lamp,  in  the  cabin,  that  made  the 
gloom  more  ghastly,  everyone  had  his  tale  of  ship- 
wreck and  disaster.     I  was  particularly  struck  with 
a  short  one  related  by  the  captain. 

"  As  I  was  sailing,"  said  he,  "  in  a  fine  stout  ship, 
across  the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  one  of  the 
heavy  fogs  that  prevail  in  those  parts,  rendered  it 
impossible  for  me  to  see  far  ahead  even  in  the  day 
time  ;  but  at  night  the  weather  was  so  thick  that 
we  could  not  distinguish  any  object  at  twice  the 
length  of  our  ship.     I  kept  lights  at  the  mast  head 
and  a  constant  watch  forward  to  look  out  for  fish- 
ing-smacks, which  are  accustomed  to  lie  at  anchor 
on  the  banks.     The  wind  was  blowing  a  smacking 
breeze,  and  we  were  going  at  a  great  rate  through 
the  water.     Suddenly  the  watch  gave  the  alarm  of 
"  a  sail  ahead  !"  but  it  was  scarcely  uttered  till  we 
were  upon  her.     She  was  a  small  schooner  at  an- 
chor with  her  broad  side  towards  us.     The  crew 
were  all  asleep,  and  had  neglected  to  hoist  a  light. 
We  struck  her  just  amid-ships.     The  force,  the 
size,  and  weight  of  our  vessel,  bore  her  down  be- 


24 


palmer's  narhative. 


I 


low  the  waves ;  we  passed  over  her,  and  were  hur- 
ried on  our  course. 

"As  the  crashing  wreck  was  sinking  beneath 
us,  1  Mad  a  ghmpse  of  two  or  three  half  naked 
wretches,  rushing  from  the  cabin ;  they  had  just 
started  from  their  cabins  to  be  swallowed  shriek- 
ing by  the  waves.     I  heard  their  drowning  crv 
mingled  with  the  wind.     The  blast  that  bore  it  to 
our  ears  swept  us  out  of  all  farther  hearing.     I 
«hall  never  forget  that  cry !     It  was  some  timi  be- 
fore we  could  put  the  ship  about,  she  was  under 
such  headway.     We  returned  as  nearly  as  we  could 
guess  to  the  place  where  the  ship  was  anchored.— 
We  cruised  about  for  several  hours  in  the  dense 
log.     We  fired  several  guns,  and  listened  if  we 
might  hear  the  hallo  of  any  survivors  ;  but  all  was 
siJent--we  never  heard  nor  saw  any  thing  of  them 


liur- 

eath 
iked 
just 
iek- 
cry 
it  to 
.     I 
be- 
ider 
)uld 
1— 
nse 
we 
vas 
lem 


*<*( 


/« 


♦ 


W  . 


